This invention relates to a method and apparatus for lining the inner surface of a safety box toe piece, made from steel or other appropriate rigid material, before the box is incorporated into the shoe assembly.
It usually is desirable in the manufacture of lasted safety shoes having steel box toes to provide a liner (sometimes referred to as a "sock saver") over the inner surface of the steel box. The box liner may be made from leather, fabric, or other suitable materials. The liner should provide a comfortable feel inside the shoe and preferably should insulate (both thermally and electrically) the steel box from the wearer's foot. The liner should conform to the shape of the inner surface of the steel box to avoid uncomfortable wrinkles. Depending on the material selected for the liner, this may not be a simple task because of the compound curvature of the inner surface of the box. Typically, the proper lining of the toe box is a difficult procedure requiring considerable skill. It is among the general objects of the invention to provide a method and apparatus which greatly simplifies the procedure of lining the box.
In addition to simplifying the procedures heretofore employed in lining of steel box toes, the invention also is usable in connection with an invention relating to the manufacture of safety shoes having rigid box toes as described in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 652,174 filed Oct. 23, 1975 and entitled "Manufacture of Safety Shoes Having Rigid Box Toes". Briefly, the invention described in that application relates to a procedure in which the steel box toe piece is attached to the upper assembly before the upper is placed on the last. The box may be attached to the upper by a number of procedures, some of which include preliminarily lining the inner surface of the box toe with a liner which extends rearwardly beyond the tip line of the box and then attaching the rearwardly extending portion of the liner assembly to the upper. It is important to locate the box toe at a proper position with respect to the liner. The present invention also includes an arrangement by which the box can be located properly with respect to the liner which enables the lined box to be properly positioned with respect to the upper assembly.